Button and its manufacture



Aug. 1, 1933. J. M. CLARK El AL BUTTON AND ITS MANUFACTURE Filed Nov. 7, 1950 Patented Aug. 1, 1933 PATENT" OFFICE 1,920,497 BUTTON AND ITS MANUFACTURE John 1 M. Clark, Detroit,

Mich, and Ira D. Ford,

Roseland, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Universal Button Fastening and Button Company, Detroit, ,Mich., a Corporation of Michigan Application'November 7,

8 Claims.

This inventionrelates to the manufacture-of metal buttons and among other objects aims to improve such manufacture by reducing costs and by providing a durable button capable of with-.

5 standing the hard usage to which buttons of this character are put.

The nature of the invention may be readily understood by reference to one embodiment thereof, especially applicable ,to the making of a highly durable button of steel, described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In saiddrawing:

Fig. 1 is a section, more or less diagrammatic in character, illustrating the first forming operation on the button blank.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are similar diagrammatic representations of successive forming operations on the buttonblank.

Fig.5 illustrates the ejection of the finished button body from the forming dies,

Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically the attachment to the button of a bar about which to secure a double pronged fastener.

Fig. 7 is a perspective bottom view of the finished button.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the face of the die block taken on the line 99 of Fig. 4, showing the die structure for forming the teeth'and rabbeted under edge on the button head. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section through the edge of the die block in Fig. 4 showing the head of a button in place thereon.

Heretofore it hasnot been commercially practicable to make solid buttons of cold steel, formed by operations upon a rod-like blank, as distinguished from solid buttons made of a metal, such as aluminum, which will flow readily under the action of forming dies. It isthought that the illustrative method herein described provides, for the first time in the art, a way of making economically and efiiciently from cold steel the type of single piece button shown in the drawing.

Certain prior art patents disclose single piece metal buttons somewhat similar in superficial appearance to that shown in the present drawing, and in at least one instance in the prior art it is suggested that such buttons might be made of.

1930. Serial No. 494,160

'omy,'facility and quality of product, to themethod of the present invention. No known prior art method involves the distinctive steps,or the illustrative sequence thereof, described herein, by which the steel button may be formed from a cold blank to produce the desirable conformation and finish, economically and with a high degree of commercial practicability.

Inthe illustrative method, a rod-like blank is cut from a soft steel rod (e; g. about, one-quarter inch in diameter and having a carbon content of approximately .08 to .1 whose diameter is substantially that intended for the shank or collet of the finished button. .The length of the blank cut is appropriate to the desired diameter of the head of the finished button. In other words, the diameter of the button head may be governed largely f by the selected initial length of the blank, without materially altering the character of the forming operations or of the mechanical devices employed therein. I

The rod-like blank of predetermined length is inserted in a die block '10 (Fig. 1); and in the preferred method the internal diameter of the die block 10 is slightly greater than the diameter of the rod-like blank. For example the internal diameter of the die 10 may be .2575 inches to receive a blank having a diameter of .25 inches. This relationship of diameters facilitates certain of the early forming operations presently described.

Within theblaiik-receiving recess of thedie block 10 is a punch die 11 shaped to form a cup 12 in the button" blank for the reception of an attachingfastener as later explained.

In opposition to the punch 11 is an anvil die 13. The preferred first step in the method, after the rod-like blank is "inserted in'the die block 10, consists in relatively operating the anvil die 13 and the punch die 11 to cause the latter to form, at least partially, the cup 12 in the blank. Theslight clearance between the blank and the die recess in the block 10 seems to facilitate the formation of the cup l2 by affording an opportunity for a simultaneous slight expansion of the blank in the die block.

As illustrated in Fig.2, the anvil die 13 (Fig. 1) has been withdrawn, the upper extremity of the button blank has been elevated to project above the die block 10, and the'blank. has been engaged by a heading die 15 which upsets or partially flattens the upper extremity of the blank while it remains supported upon the punch die 11. The opposition of the punch die 11 and the heading die 15 may advance or complete the formation of the cup 12 in the blank. c

The degree to which the partially formed head 16 (of Fig. 2) is flattened, i. e. the diameter and conformation of the partially formed head, may be governed by the extent to which the blank projects above the surface of the lower die block 10, and also by the ultimate distance between the acting face 17 of the heading die 15 and the upper surface of the lower die block 10', after the V nearest approach of the face 1'7 to the lower die block. This approach of the die 15 to the die block 10 may be limited by the spacing projection 18 depending from the die 15. The projection 18 need not perform any function in determining the diameter or conformation of the head, but may be spaced away from the partly formed head as shown in Fig. 2. v

Following the operations illustrated in Fig, 2 the blank is subjected to further heading as shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose a heading die 19 is employed; and the relative movement between the punch die 11 and ,the heading die 19 is such that the button blank is projected somewhat further above thetop surface of the die block 10, than during the operation of Fig. 2, so as to expose additional metal of the blank above the restraint 'of the die block 10 to be subjected to the heading operation by the die 19. The acting face 21 of the die 19 approaches more closely toward the die block 10, than did the face 17 of the heading die 15 in Fig. 2, thereby further flattening the head of the blank and more greatly extending-it transversely. The approach of the face 21.to the dieblock loimay be limited by the. projection 22 on the die 19.; The projection 22 need not perform any function relative to the diameter or conformation of the head but may be spaced from the head as shown in Fig. 3.

A final head forming operation is illustrated in Fig. 4 as involving a heading die 23. In the relative movement of the die 23 and the, punch die 11,the latter may be elevated (above its position in Fig. 3) to expose still more of the blank metal torthe heading operation while all of the blank metalsthus exposed beyond the restraint of the die recess in the block 10 may be shaped into the button head by the'action of the die 23.

It will be noted that the described heading operations may be made to depend upon two factors either or both of which may be varied with corresponding effect upon the. dimensions and conformation of the resulting head on the button. One factor is the amount of the blank metal exposed beyond the restraint of the die recess in the blocklO; and the other is the degree of relative approach between the heading die and the opposed surface of the die block 10.

The described forming operations, starting with a soft steel blank, will produce a completed button having a surface finish and accuracy of desired conformation sufficient for general commercial purposes without necessarily resorting to a heading die of such structure as to confine the circumference of the head either to limit its diameter or otherwise to insure its desired form.

For example as illustrated in Fig. 4, the top face of the die block 10 may be given such shape as is desired for the lower face of the button head, while the heading die 23 may have simply a flat face to produce a flat top button, while the outer circumference of the head may be. left unrestrained.

In the head forming operation of Fig. 4, the under face of the button head may be marginalin the die block 10 (Fig. 8).

ly rabbeted as at 25 (see Fig. 6) or otherwise shaped, for buttons to which a cover or shell is to be" applied; and this is effectedlby correspondingly shaping the lower die block 10 as at 26, which die configuration functions when the button head is increased sufficiently in diameter to occupy this region of the die block. Also, for buttons intended to receive a shell, the under face of the button rim may be provided with teeth 27 formed by the complemental teeth 28 As was the case with the formation of the rabbet 25, the teeth 28 onthedie block need not function until the button head approaches its maximum diameter in the heading operations.

It is not essential that the die cup 12 be completely finished in earliest stages of the method (Figs. 1 and 2) since successive heading operations will assist the blank eventually to conform to' the punch die 11 whose shapeas regards the die cup may be identical throughout the heading operations.

The heading operations on the soft steel blank improve the quality and strength ofthe metal forming the head and likewise result in forming a smooth, hard, almostpolished surface thereon. Theedge of the head is desirably rounded and adequately smooth as a result of the natural, preferably unrestrained lateral extension of the head under the heading operations and is without material burrs, fins or sharp edges.

After the foregoing operations the button is ejected from the die block by elevating the punch die 11 (see Fig. ,5).

method as it is ejected (Fig. 5), has the fastener receiving-recess 12 and may be equipped in various ways to provide anchorage for a fastening device. One form of the latter is illustrated in Fig. 6. in which a diametrically disposed bar 30 is placed across the entrance to the recess 12. The prongs of a two-pronged fastener may be placed astride the bar 30 and then th button head and the two-pronge'd fastener may be pressed together to upset the prongs and cause them to embrace thebar 30.

The bar 30 may be secured in position in any desired manner. For, instance it may be placed within the entrance to the fastener receivingrecess 12 and then part of the rim 29 of the shank of the button may be forced over, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, to form a slight shoulder to retain the bar 30in place. This operation may be performed, for example, by a die 31 while the button is supported upon an opposed die 32. It

is preferable to form the bars 30 from spring steel wire cut to proper length. To enhance the security of the attachment of the bar 30, the

recess or cup 12 may be formed (by the punch die 11)' with a shoulder 33 against which the ends of the bar 30 may be seated, at diametrically opposite points. Then the die 31 may form opposed shoulders overlying the ends of the bar. Thus the bar will be gripped rigidly between the two sets of shoulders. The shoulder 34 illustrated on the punch die 11 may be employed to provide the shoulder 33 in the recess of cup 12.

After the formation of the button it may be provided with an appropriate superficial plating or coating for decorative or rust proofing purposes. Or a decorative and rust proof thin metal shell 35 (Fig. '7) may be crimped over the edge of the button, the crimped-over edge 36 of the shell falling in the rabbet 25 on the under-surface ofthe head to bring the outer surface of the shell margin flush with the undersurface of the button head. In the aforesaid crimping operation, the shell margins are sufiiciently forced into the spaces between the teeth 27 to hold the shell against turning or giving other evidencesof looseness on the button head. The teeth also prevent subsequent loosening of the shell by action of the attaching machine.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative embodiment herein shown and described since these may be variously modified. Moreover it is not indispensable that all features of the invention above described be used conjointly since various features may be employed to advantage in different combinations and subcombinations.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A method of making steel buttons which is characterized by placing an elongated steel blank in a die-recess, with a slight clearance between the blank and said recess; initially forming, at least partially, a fastener-receiving cup in one extremity of the blank which is located within said die-recess; projecting the opposite extremity of the blank beyond the restraint of said dierecess and upsetting said projecting portion to form partially a button head; successively projecting additional increments of the blank beyond the restraint of said die-recess and performing further heading operations upon said successive increments; inserting in the fastener-receiving cup of the button a diametrically disposed bar, and shouldering the. button shank to hold said bar in place; and completing said fastenerreceiving cup and rabbeting said serrating marginal parts of the underface of the button head, during the progress of heading operations.

2. A method of making steel buttons which is characterized by placing an elongated steel blank in a die-recess, with a slight clearance between the blank and said recess; forming, at some stage of the method, a fastener-receiving cup in one extremity of the blank which is located within said die-recess; projecting the opposite extremity of the blank beyond the restraint of said die-recess and upsetting said projecting portion to form partially a button head; and successively projecting additional increments of the blank beyond the restraint of said die-recess, and performing further heading operations upon said successive increments.

3'. A method of making steel buttons which is characterized by progressively upsetting successive increments of one extremity of a blank to form the button head; and forming fastener-receiving means on the blank during the progress of upsetting operations.

4. A solid metal button of the character described comprising. a shank of soft steel and an integral head substantially round resulting from the free lateral spread of the metal under cold heading operations, the edge of said head being naturally rounded and free from burrs, and the surface of said head being hardened by said heading operations.

5. A solid metal button of the character described comprising a shank of soft steel and an integral head substantially round resulting from the free lateral spread of the metal under cold heading operations, the edge of said head being naturally rounded and free from burrs, the surface of said head being hardened by said heading operations, and a concave die recess in the end of said shank for upsetting an attaching fastener.

6. A method of making steel buttons which is characterized by progresively upsetting successive increments of one extremity of a blank to form the button head; and forming a fastener: receiving cup in the opposite extremity of said blank during the progress of upsetting operations.

'7. The method of making steel buttons which is characterized by heading one end of a steel rod-like blank to form a button head, the diameter of the blank being substantially the same as the diameter of the shank of the finished button, and prior to the completion of the heading operation starting the formation of a die cup in the opposite end of said blank to provide a die for upset ting a fastener prong.

8. The method of making steel buttons which is characterized-by cold heading one end of a steel rod-like blank to form a button head. the diameter of the blank being substantially the same as the diameter of the shank of the finished button, and starting the formation of a die cup in the opposite end of said blank before the metal thereof has become hardened by the heading operation, the surface of said die cup being hardened by the cup forming operation and serving to upset an attaching fastener prong.

JOHN M. CLARK. IRA D. FORD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,920, 497.

JOHN M.

August I, 1933.

CLARK, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 43, claim 1, for said" read "and"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24m day or October, A. D. 1933.

(Seal) F. M. Hopkins Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

